


Happy Birthday, Chag Sameach

by bar2d2s



Category: The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Birthdays, Gen, Hanukkah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 07:19:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5407889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bar2d2s/pseuds/bar2d2s
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Len's birthday falls on one of the nights of Hanukkah this year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Chag Sameach

Len's default mood was grouchy, Axel knew this. But all week, he'd gone way beyond the usual brand of pissiness that his Rogues were used to, and it left them all scratching their heads. 

Well, most of them. Thank god for Mark. 

"Yeah, today's his birthday." He said casually, turning a page of his book. Axel groaned, scrubbing his hands down his face. 

"And he can't just ignore it, like all the other old people that don't wanna admit they're old do?" Mark eyed him warily, then sighed. "What? What am I missing?" He set down his book, and that's when Axel knew it was serious. 

"It's also Hanukkah." 

"Seriously?" He could have sworn it was later in the month this year. "Wait, Len's Jewish too?" Mark opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again, hurriedly picking up his book. As if summoned by the utterance of his name, there was Len, stumbling through the makeshift living room on his way to the kitchen. 

And boy, did he look rough. The bags under his eyes, usually hidden by his glasses, were in full display, and his hair looked greasy and unkempt. He looked more than rough, he looked exhausted. As if he'd been doing little more than drinking and sleeping for the past few days. 

"Uh, hey boss." Axel tried, and the glare he received made him wish he had a book to hide behind, too. "Yeah, okay, that's fine. I was gonna go rustle up some grub, any requests?" 

"Soup." Len grunted, then froze in place, as if he'd only just realized that he'd replied out loud. "No. Nothing." He said, louder and clearer this time, trudging back to his room. 

Once Len was out of the room, Axel let the grin spread over his face. Mark caught it right away, and shook his head. "Kid, this isn't something you wanna mess with. Don't go getting him dinner, or a present, or even a card. Just let him be." 

As Sweeney Todd once sang, "You are young, you will learn." 

Which is a way of saying, Axel didn't listen. 

There were three restaurants in all of the Twin Cities that still served Rogues without convincing disguises, and it was no coincidence that two of the three were strictly takeout. The third was a diner that made to-go orders, if you greased the right palms. 

Axel returned to the hideout laden with sandwiches, salads, and a big container of soup. Mark sighed. At least he wasn't stupid enough to have stopped to get a card. 

Stopping to grab a beer out of the fridge, Axel took the soup out of the box of food, as well as a smaller package that had been hidden within. It took him five minutes of standing in front of Len's closed door to work up the courage to knock. 

"What do you want?" Len growled at him when he finally opened up, but it didn't have the same weight behind it as usual. He just looked too down, too tired. Axel held up the container. 

"Matzoh ball." He held up the package. "Menorah. Let me in boss, we're doing this thing." Len's expression went from neutral to angry in seconds. 

"Go away." And...wow. Didn't even yell it. He was  _pissed_. 

"Okay, hear me out. It's been like three years since I've done this, I probably don't even remember the blessing. This isn't me bugging you for bugging you's sake. This is me asking for help." 

Len glared at him, eyes narrowed to slits. Axel stared back, defiant, but definitely ready to duck and run if the situation called for it. Then, with an almighty sigh, Len left the doorway to knock a few bottles off his makeshift nightstand. 

Axel sets down the soup first, hurriedly unwrapping the menorah and setting up the proper amount of candles. Once he's done he steps back, looking at Len expectantly. The older man sighs again. 

"You're lighting 'em." He does, picking up the shamash and pulling out a lighter. Once the candle is lit, Axel looks up at Len. "Ah, geez. Okay.  _Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam_..." 

To his surprise, Len sings the prayer rather than just muttering it, as he'd expected him to. It's a strange, bizarrely serene moment that Axel can't bring himself to ruin. Then Len asks, "Which side?" To which he automatically answers, 

"Mom." 

Len nods, but he doesn't smile. Instead, he opens the container of soup, smelling it. The fact that Axel had forgotten a spoon doesn't seem to bother him much, as he just tips it back into his mouth. They watch the candles for a bit, until Len is finished with his soup, and then Axel knows his welcome is just about worn through. 

He doesn't move to blow out the candles, though, just leaves them where they sit. "I'm gonna go eat." He says casually, walking to the door. Before he's fully out, however, he turns. "Happy combination Hanukkah and birthday, boss." 

Len only pinches the bridge of his nose, and Axel feels like he's home free. Until, that is, "Don't pull this shit again, Axel." 

 He's smart enough to just leave, instead of bringing up the possibility of a Seder for his other favorite 'they tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat' holiday. Mark seems surprised to see him in one piece. 

 "We bonded. I'm his favorite now." Axel says loftily, and Mark only shakes his head.


End file.
